Abstract

Shailendra experienced unbelievable hunger and poverty throughout his childhood. He lost his mother and sister at a young age, and this created a void in his early life. As a child, he was not allowed to play hockey because he was a low-caste Dalit. This was a time when India had just become independent. This ushered in a new era of awakening that was against discrimination based on caste or creed; and against cruelty toward and exploitation of workers.

At that time, Urdu poetry dominated Hindi cinema. However, Shailendra introduced everyday Hindi (Hindustani) in his songs. Shailendra was a people’s poet. His unique talent was presenting his lyrics in a language that ordinary folks could easily understand and relate to, e.g., “Mera Joota hai Japani”, or “Awara hoon.” Shailendra’s lyrics about poverty and hunger became very popular because they represented his real-life experiences, and therefore came straight from his heart. According to poet and lyricist Gulzar, Shailendra was the best lyricist produced by the Hindi film industry. Javed Akhtar has said that Shailendra’s songs were not just writings but literature. He then goes on to say that Shailendra was not merely a songwriter, but a public philosopher because he quietly managed to slip in lyrics that contained the right values for Indian society. Finally, it was the Bhakti tradition that shaped Shailendra’s legacy. This paper is a humble effort to underline the contribution of Shailendra and analysis his work from different dimensions.

Key Words: Lyricist Shailendra, people’s poet, public philosopher, best lyricist in Hindi cinema, The Bhakti tradition

1. Introduction

Shailendra (1923-1966), a pen name, was a popular Hindi-Urdu (Hindusthani) poet, lyricist, and film producer. He was born a lower-caste Dalit into a Chamar family (whose occupation was tanning leather) as Shankardas Kesrilal in Rawalpindi, Punjab (now in Pakistan) in 1923 [1] (Note 1).

His ancestors were from Akhtiarpur, Arrah district of Bihar, where most workers were agricultural laborers (Note 1).

Under financial hardship, his father moved to Rawalpindi where he became a successful military contractor. But this good luck was short-lived. Once again in 1931, when Shailendra was eight years old, his family had to move to Mathura, U.P., where he spent 16 years of his early life. [2] (Dutt, 2017, Note 2) 

As a child, he was not allowed to play hockey because he was a Dalit. As such, from his early childhood, the seeds of resentment against India’s caste system and capitalism were sowed in him [3] (Note 3).

Shailendra lost his mother at a young age, and this created a void in his early life (Note 1).

He experienced unimaginable hardship and poverty when he was young. When his father fell sick, it forced him–and his brother–to smoke Beedis (Indian cigarettes) to suppress hunger.

He lost his only sister because his father could not afford to pay for her medical treatment because of his illness (Note 3).

In Mathura, after school–and college—every evening he would go to the A.H. Wheeler bookstore, where he would read all the books he could get his hands on. [4] (Sengupta, 2024, Note 4). And that is how he became a well-read man. It is in Mathura where he graduated with an intermediate degree [5] (Note 5). He started writing poetry during his days in Mathura. Naturally gifted, his poems were regularly published in a magazine in Agra (Note 2).

• Shailendra’s Early Career

Shailendra started his career as a welder with Indian Railways. His job brought him to Parel in the Mumbai region in 1947 [6] (Note 6).

 In 1948 he married his wife, Shakuntala, in Jhansi. Because of his meager salary, he could not afford to take her with him to Mumbai at that time. Later when his wife became pregnant, Shailendra suggested that she go back to her parents in Jhansi to deliver their first child (Note 2).

Shailendra was a loner because he had experienced many tragedies in his life (Note 2).

And when you don’t have much money, it is not easy to make friends.

His “craft had chiseled,” and he was able to get his poetry published in the prestigious magazine, Hans, edited by the legendary Premchand (Note 2).

Shailendra became a member of the left-wing Indian People’s Theater Association (IPTA). He then began writing stirring poetry for IPTA. One example is [7] (Parsa, 2022, Note 7):

This slogan became workers’ rallying cry for their rights (Note 7).

• Shailendra Joins Raj Kapoor’s Team

The material in this chapter is from an interview of Dinesh Shankar Shailendra, Shailendra’s son, by Kamal Sharma of All India Radio [8] (Note 8).

Filmmaker Raj Kapoor was a shrewd judge of talent. His biggest achievement was that he discovered the legendary duo of Shankar-Jaishan, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest-ever music composers of Hindi cinema [9] (Note 9). 

In a mushaira (kavi sammelan) Shailendra was reading out his poem “Jalta hai Punjab” about India’s partition. Since he was born in Punjab, he was very upset by what was happening there. At that time Raj Kapoor approached Shailendra and offered to buy the rights of this poem for his movie Aag because he said it was about partition, too. He also asked Shailendra to write songs for his film (Note 8).  But Shailendra said that he did not want to sell his poetry and that he also did not wish to work for films (ibid).

It is important to point out that a man who had seen poverty throughout his childhood, was still unwilling to commercialize his God-given talent!

So, he did not accept Raj Kapoor’s offer (Note 8).

However, Raj Kapoor left his business card with Shailendra and said that whenever you change your mind, you can come and see me (Note 8).

But in 1949 when Shailendra’s wife became pregnant, he did not have the money to pay for the complications of her pregnancy. So, he went back to Raj Kapoor, who was then filming the movie Barsaat, for which Shailendra agreed to write lyrics for two songs (Note 8).

In those days Hindi films did not have a title song. But Raj Kapoor made Shailendra’s song, “Barsaat mein hum se mile tum” a title song. It was also the first song that became a film’s title song in the history of Hindi cinema (Note 8).

Both the title song—and the movie–turned out to be a super-hit (ibid).

Raj Kapoor’s next project was his film, Awara. So, he requested Shailendra to write songs for it.

Reluctantly, he agreed to listen to the story of the film, for which Raj Kapoor took him to the house of Khwaja Ahmed Abbas, a renowned screenwriter, who was going to be the screenplay writer for the film. After listening to the long story, Raj Kapoor asked Shailendra’s opinion about it, and without hesitation he summarized his impression in just one short sentence (Notes 8, 4):

• Awara hoon, ya gurdush mein hoon aasman ka taara hoon.

Abbas, who did not then know Shailendra, could hardly believe his ears that Shailendra was able to capture the essence of Abbas’s two-hour-long story in just one sentence, and that, too, quite spontaneously (Notes 8, 4)!

As a result of this episode, a happy Raj Kapoor then told Shailendra that this has demonstrated that you have a God-given talent that is tailor-made for writing film songs (Note 8).

And like Barsaat “Awara hoon,” too, became the title song of the film Awara and both became classic hits (Note 8).

Barsaat and Awara were not the only films that had a title song but a large number of Shailendra’s films had a title song as well (Note 5).

Raj Kapoor used to address Shailendra as Kaviraj and called him “Pushkin of India” (Note 3). The team of Raj Kapoor, Shailendra, and Shankar–Jaikishan went on to produce many more hit songs.

And the rest is history.

This association turned into a life-long friendship. Throughout the period from 1949 till his death in 1966, Shailendra worked for R.K. Films at a fixed salary of Rs. 500 per month (Note 8), even though he reportedly charged an extraordinary sum of Rs. I lakh per film (Note 7)!

• Shailendra Always Thought of Himself as a Poet Not a Lyricist

As mentioned in Ch. 3, Shailendra told Raj Kapoor that he did not want to sell his poetry and that he also did not wish to work for films.

After having written two songs for Raj Kapoor’s film Barsaat, Raj Kapoor requested Shailendra to write songs for his next film, Awara. Even then he was still reluctant to do so (Ch. 3).

Here Ratnottama Sengupta (2024, Note 4) makes an insightful observation. She says (italics added) that it bothered him that what he wanted to do was to write poems to vent his protest about serious matters afflicting Indian society at that time.

But instead, he was now being asked to write romantic and cheerful songs for entertainment (Note 4).

• Shailendra’s Lyrics —Not Poems–Are the Heart of His Phenomenal Legacy

The lyrics of the first two songs that Shailendra wrote for the film Barsaat (1949) were romantic songs. These were: “Barsaat mein hum se mile tum Sajan,” and “Patli Kamar hai Tirchhi Nazar hai.”

During that time romantic songs were the most common genre in the Hindi film industry. So, Shailendra seems to have believed that this is what is in store for him in the future in the movie industry.

The dilemma facing Shailendra was that while he had the message, what he needed was the right medium.

As mentioned above, what he wanted to do was to write poems to vent his protest about serious matters facing Indian society at that time: a path of writing poems published in literary books. However, the problem with this scenario was that at best it had a limited market that could reach only a small number of readers.

But, through sheer talent Shailendra was able to transcend the traditional barrier of romantic songs and introduce songs that not only addressed the ills afflicting Indian society at that time– but also acted as a social philosopher, as Javed Akhtar has said (Ch. 22)—and urged his viewers to pursue values that were right for the Indian society.

Even in his wildest dreams, could Shailendra have imagined that it was the mega-entertainment market of Hindi films that would catapult him to fame not only across the Indian sub-continent, but in many foreign countries as well, such as the USSR, Turkey, Egypt, China, and parts of Africa (see Ch. 7).

So, it is not surprising that finally Sahitya Akademi of India honored Shailendra’s greatness on his Hundredth Birthday in 2023—57 years after his death in 1966.

5a. Shailendra’s Success the Result of a Team Effort

When you write a poem, you are a solo operator. But when you write lyrics you are part of a partnership—a team. In this team, there are five major players: the film producer, the film star who sings the song on the silver screen, the playback singer, the music composer, and the lyricist.

So, it is important to point out that Shailender’s phenomenal success was the result of a team effort that involved, among others, film producers like Raj Kapoor and Bimal Roy; film stars like Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand; playback singers like Mukesh, Manna Dey, and Mohd. Rafi; and music composers like Shanker-Jaikishan, S.D. Burman, and Salil Choudhry (see Ch. 8).

In a brilliant essay Vinay Rajoria [10] (2022, Note 10) says that Shailendra’s songs have become “part of people’s everyday conversations, commonly-used idioms, proverbs, and puzzles, and are sung at almost all occasions in India be it birth, marriage, death or divorce” (italics added).

His “words have transformed into a corpus of literature similar to the timeless and ancient wisdom of our saints and poets” (italics added, Note 10).

Like “all great literary works,” Shailendra’s creations “override boundaries and have become a mouthpiece and the lifeblood of the great Indian philosophical tradition itself” (italics added, Note 10).

• The Medium is the Message

In the United States, the first televised presidential debate took place in 1960 between Richard (Dick) Nixon and John F. Kennedy. Those who heard the debate on the radio thought that Nixon was the winner mainly because of “his grasp of details and more resonant delivery.” On the contrary, those who watched the debate on television favored Kennedy who “spoke in sound bites and came across as more youthful and trustworthy than ‘Tricky Dick’” [11] (Note 11).

Marshall McLuhan, a Canadian analyst and philosopher, summarized the result of the above debate in the iconic words: “The medium is the message” (Note 11).

So according to McLuhan’s theory, listening to a poem is like listening to it on the radio. But listening to the lyrics of a film song on the silver screen is like watching it on television.

7.  World Still Hums Shailendra’s Songs

According to Avijit Ghosh [12] (2023, Note 12) Shailendra’s song ‘Awara Hoon‘ from the film Awaara (1951) was “a passport to warmth for any Indian visiting the USSR, Turkey, Egypt, China, and parts of Africa (also Note 1).

The Soviet writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn mentions ‘Awara Hoon‘ in his novel, Cancer Ward (1966; Note 12).

Shailendra’s song “Mera Joota hai Japani” from the movie Shree 420 (1955), was featured in Mississippi Masala (1991), and the movie Deadpool (2016; Notes 12, 1).

Sengupta (Note 4) says that in 2010 she went to China to attend the Festival of India, and visited China’s cinema capital, Shanghai. There she was greeted by the song “Awara Hoon” (Shree 420, 1955), and a reference to the song “Mausam beeta jaaye” (Do Bigha Zameen, 1953, Note 4).

A decade later when she visited Moscow, people still remembered “Awara hoon” (ibid).

8. Shailendra’s Career in Hindi Cinema

With his extraordinary talent, Shailendra was able to ignite the light of hope, optimism, and inspiration in the hearts of filmgoers through his songs (Note 8).

In addition to Shankar-Jaikishan, Shailendra also had a close relationship with other famous music composers, e.g., S.D. Burman (Sujata, Bandini, Guide, Kala Bazar), Salil Choudhry (Do Bigha Zameen, Madhumati, Parakh), and Ravi Shankar (Anuradha; Note 1).

He also had rapport with the legendary film-maker Bimal Roy, and Dev Anand (Note 1).

He also worked with composers Anil Biswas, C. Ramchandra, S.N. Tripathi, and Roshan (Note 2).

Here is an incident that is a dramatic example of Shailendra’s genius [13] (Note 13).

• S.D. Burman wanted Shailendra to write a song for the movie Kala Bazar (1960). But Shailendra was quite busy at that time. So, one day SD sent his son RD to try to “extract” the song from Shailendra. At the end of the day, they came to Juhu Beach, and he asked RD to give him the tune. Then, getting inspiration from this beautiful natural setting, he took out a piece of paper from his cigarette box, scribbled the mukhra of the song on it, and told RD to take it to his dad. Those lyrics were:

9.  Shailendra Wrote His Lyrics in Simple Hindustani

Venkat Parsa (Note 7) points out that this was the time when Urdu poetry dominated the Hindi cinema led by poets, such as Sahir Ludhianvi, Shakeel Badayuni, Kaifi Azmi, and Majrooh Sultanpuri. However, it was Shailendra who introduced everyday Hindi (Hindustani) in his songs that the ordinary public could easily understand and relate to (Note 7; also Note 2).

This was also quite different from the trend of the highly sanskritised Hindi that became more pronounced after India’s independence (Note 7).

10. Shailendra’s Awards

Shailendra won the Filmfare Best Lyricist award three times in the following films (Note 1):

• 1958: “Yeh mera deewanapan hai” (Yahudi)
• 1959: “Sub kuchh deekha humne” (Anari)
• 1968: “Main gaoun tum so jao” (Brahamchari)

Even though his film Teesri Kasam did not do well at the box office, it is considered a cult classic today. It won the prestigious National Film Award in 1967 in the category of feature film (Note 1).

In 2013 the Govt. of India honored Shailendra with a Rs. 5 postal stamp (Note 1).

11. Shailendra: Best Lyricist in Hindi Cinema

Gulzar, who is a great lyricist and poet in his own right, has said on many occasions, that Shailendra was the best lyricist produced by the Hindi film industry (Note 1).

Gulzar points out that Shailendra’s unique talent was his ability to present his lyrics in a language that ordinary folks could easily understand, e.g., “Mera Joota hai Japani” from the movie Shree 420 [14] (1955, Note 14).

Gulzar also said that Shailendra is the only poet who understood the difference between a poem and lyrics (ibid).

A documentary by the newspaper Anand Bazar Patrika (ABP), posted 17 years ago on YouTube, says that it presents the story of the best lyricist in cinema. [15] (Note 15).

Shailendra is considered by many as a people’s poet. Overcoming a huge personal crisis, Shailendra has left behind a lasting mark on Bollywood music (Note 2).

In the words of Mondal & Sharma (2016), Shailendra’s seemingly simple lines are in reality quite profound. [16] (Note 16):

• “Layered with meaning, with purpose and with the deepest thoughts, feelings and realizations” (italics added).

Great poets present timeless truths in the simplest of words. Lyricist Shailendra was one such great poet who delivered exceptional metaphors in words that came from the “streets and sands of India” [17] (Deepak Mahaan, 2017, Note 17):

• “Like ordinary clay molded to perfection by a master sculptor, words acquired profound meanings when Shailendra put his pen to paper. Even within the constraints of film scenes, situations, and musical loops, Shailendra delivered songs that qualified successfully as literary poems as well as common folk gems” (italics added).

Perhaps no other Hindi poet of his time had the power of brevity that Shailendra had of condensing elaborate images into memorable phrases (Note 17).

Shailendra was a lyricist who found divinity in humanity [18] (Asutosh Sharma, Note 18).

Venkat Parsa (2022) states that Shailendra was “the brightest star of Hindi cinema’s Golden Era” (italics added, Note 7).

12. Why Lyricists Do Not Get Their Due Recognition?

In writing a poem, a poet faces hardly any constraints. In contrast, a lyricist constantly faces a formidable challenge (Note 4).

Sengupta (2024, Note 4) says that a poet writes lyrics to “fit into a script, a character, and a social clime.” So, a lyricist has to “bow to politics, humanities, and sociology.” And yet a film song can become a hit with the public when it contains “seeds of nuanced literature” (Note 4).

A lyricist’s “imagination is bound by the barriers of melody.” In addition, he has the responsibility of creating poetry despite the constraints of the situation, and the tune to enhancethe emotion of the moment (italics added, Note 4).

When the lyrics of a song rise above these constraints, “it attains the height of aesthetics, not necessarily of poetry, but of its own particular identity” (italics added, Note 4).

Another handicap a lyricist has to constantly face is that the “better the rendition of a song,” the more the listeners remember it by the singer who rendered it, the actor who sang it on the silver screen, or the film for which the song was written (Note 4).

Rarely, does the public recall who wrote the lyrics (Note 4).

Yet, Shailendra’s genius was such that his lyrics like “Awara Hoon,” or “Mera Joota hai Japani,” gained national and even international fame.

13. Shailendra’s Bhojpuri Heritage

As we have mentioned earlier, Shailendra’s ancestors were from Akhtiarpur, Arrah district of Bihar where the people spoke the folk language Bhojpuri. This heritage is reflected in several of his songs in the movie Teesri Kasam (1966) that he himself produced. For example: “Sajanwa bairi ho gaye hamaar;” “Paan khaye sainyyan hamaar;” and “Chalat musafir moh liya re pinjre wali munia” (Mondal & Sharma, 2016, Note 16).

According to the website Promod Puri.com, Shailendra’s “forte,” was writing lyrics in the Bhojpuri folk language: e.g., “Ab ke baras bhej bhaiyya ko babul” [19] (Note 19) from the movie Bandini (1963).

Here is an expanded version of the above song. The song has two main themes and we have rearranged it accordingly (Mondal & Sharma, 2016, Note 16):

This is the first part (ibid):

Shailendra was very fond of his children, and a doting father to his daughters. In the above lyrics, a bride is giving vent to her agony that she is far away from her childhood home. So, she is crying out to her father to send her brother to bring her to her parents’ home (Note 16).

 Now, this is the second part (ibid):

14. The Bhakti Movement                                                                   

Shashi Tharoor [20] (2018, Note 20) states that the Bhakti movement was started by Ramanuja a thousand years ago in southern India: a movement that “reinvented and revitalized Hinduism.” The movement moved northwards and flourished across India between the twelfth and the eighteenth century (pp. 98-99).

It offered an individual-centered path to the Divine that was presented in a local language that ordinary people could easily understand (p. 103). Continuing, Tharoor says:

• “It transformed the quest for moksha (salvation) to a loving relationship between each individual and his or her personally chosen…god (e.g., Krishna). Salvation became accessible to the lowest castes, to women, and even to those formerly outside the Hindu mold: ‘Untouchable’ Dalits and Muslims” (italics added, Note 20, p. 103).

15. Hinduism Believes in One God

According to the late Alan Watts, a Zen-Buddhism scholar—who was a practicing Buddhist—in Christianity, the emphasis is on “belief rather than experience.” Furthermore, Christianity has always “attached immense importance to an acceptance of the correct formulation of a dogma, doctrine, or rite” [21] (Note 21; Datta, 2022).

Radhakrishnan, too, believes that the unfortunate legacy of the path Christian theology followed in Europe has come to connote a mechanical adherence to authority. When righteousness is practiced not for its own sake but because it is the will of God, it is practiced with fervor and fanaticism that are sometimes ungodly (Note 21; Datta 2022).

God as a monarch ruling over his kingdom is a widely accepted model in Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant religions (Note 21; Datta 2022).

Following that model, Christian theologians crowned Jesus Christ as a Son and Incarnation of God.  [22] (Note 22).

Followers of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam believe that these three are the only monotheistic religions: that is, they believe only in one God. This view implies that other religions, like Hinduism, are polytheistic—that they believe in and worship multiple gods [23] (Note 23).

But Radhakrishnan points out that the concept of God as King tends to mask the central truth that God is Spirit (Note 22; Datta 2022).

Google  [24] (Note 24) describes the belief of Hinduism in the following words:

• “God, referred to as “Brahman,” is considered to reside within each human being as the “Atman” (the soul), meaning that Hindus believe God lives inside every person, not in the sky; essentially seeing the universe and all living beings as interconnected with the divine essence of Brahman” (God; italics added). 

However, since the focus of the Bhakti movement is on individually chosen gods or goddesses, how do the followers of Hinduism counter the argument against polytheism?

The human mind finds it very difficult to deal with spiritual matters unless they are

framed in a manner that each individual can relate to and make them an integral part of his or her personal life.

So, the Bhakti movement devised a smart practical idea of a personal god–a human–as a bridge between each individual and the Divine.

In the pantheon of Hindu gods, Lord Rama and Lord Krishna occupy the top spot. But they were not just fictional characters, but rather real men, who–like Jesus Christ—led exemplary and moral lives. That is why Hindus worship them as gods.

16. The Story of Lord Rama and Ramayana

Google describes the story of Lord Rama and Ramayana–and what it teaches us–in the following words [25] (Note 25):

• “The story of Lord Rama in the Ramayana teaches valuable lessons about upholding dharma (duty and morality), loyalty, integrity, resilience in the face of adversity, respecting relationships, and the ultimate triumph of good over evil, highlighting the importance of being a righteous leader and individual, even when faced with difficult choices; essentially embodying the ideal of “Maryada Purushottam” (the perfect man) through his actions.

Ramayana also portrays Lord Rama as the epitome of an ideal son, husband, and king. Rama’s story highlights his obedience to his father, unwavering devotion to his wife Sita, and just leadership as a ruler, even when it required personal sacrifice [26] (Note 26). 

The picture of Lord Rama painted above —a human being blessed with godlike qualities—is so compelling that it stands unapparelled—and alone–in the history of mankind.

17. Stars of the Bhakti Tradition

One of the early stars of the Bhakti movement was the poet-saint Kabir. He was born in a family of Muslim weavers and became a disciple of Hindu ascetic, Ramananda. Kabir is thought of as both a Sufi and a Brahmin saint. In his poetry, Kabir draws on both Hinduism and Islam, even though he was critical of certain aspects of both religions [27] (Note 27).

Kabir wrote some extraordinarily powerful verses “distilling the essence of Hindu philosophy,” and always preached religious harmony (Tharoor, 2018, p. 99, Note 20).

Another star of the Bhakti tradition was Mirabai, a 16th-century Hindu mystic poet who was a devotee of Lord Krishna and is celebrated as a Bhakti saint [28] (Note 28).

Mirabai was known to sing and dance in ecstasy before Lord Krishna whom she adored, with “a sense of abandonment and ecstasy” (Tharoor, 2018,p. 100, Note 20).

Other stars of this movement were Nanak, Khusrau, and Bulle Shah (Ch. 18).

18. How the Bhakti Tradition Shaped Shailendra’s Legacy

Rajoria (2022, Note 10) says that:

• Shailendra’s poems and songs project the “essence of the indigenous Indian consciousness containing in themselves the rationality of ideas of Buddha, the intellectual questionings of the Upanishads, the fervent love of the Sufis, and most evidently, the inseparable humanism and deep optimism of the Bhakti tradition of Kabir, Meera, Nanak, Khusrau, and Bulle Shah” (italics added, Note 10).

19. Sahitya Akademi Honors Shailendra’s Greatness on His Hundredth Birthday

Pragati Saxena has published a book “Andar ki Aag,” that includes all the poems of Shailendra, that was published in Sept. 2018. She says that although Shailendra was very popular as a film lyricist, in reality, he was much more than just a lyricist (Note 3).

• Yet, she asserts that he has “never been given his due place in the pantheon of Hindi literature” (italics added). On the hundredth birth anniversary of Shailendra in 2023, Sahitya Akademi of India held a conference in Roorkee, Uttarakhand, to honor Shailendra and Javed Akhtar (see Ch. 20).

20. Javed Akhtar’s Awards

The legendary multi-talented Javed Akhtar is a lyricist, poet, and screenwriter with a phenomenal record of winning various awards that is unparallel in the history of Hindi cinema [29] (Note 29):

• The National Film Award for Best Lyrics five times
• The Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist eight times
• Padma Shree Award in 1999
• Padma Bhushan Award in 2007.
• The Richard Dawkins Award in 2020.

He was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha in 2009 (Note 29).

21. Javed Akhtar on Shailendra

On the hundredth birth anniversary of Shailendra, Sahitya Akademi of India held a conference in Roorkee, Uttarakhand, in honor of Javed Akhtar in 2023. Roorkee is famous for being Asia’s first engineering college, established in 1847 [30]^, [31] (Notes 30, 31).

A common theme that ran throughout the conference was that both Shailendra and Javed Akhtar belonged to the same genre of film-song writers (ibid).

In the following pages, we are covering Javed Akhtar’s masterful discussion of Shailendra’s great legacy.

Javed Akhtar said that the famous lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri once told him that we are poets who write filmi gaane (songs for films). But the only real geetkaar—songwriter—was Shailendra (Notes 30, 31).

Javed Akhtar cites two major factors behind Shailendra’s extraordinary success(Notes 30, 31).

One is the tradition of Indian poetry that is symbolized by Kabeer, Meera, and others. This is an obvious reference to the Bhakti tradition, which also includes Nanak, Khusrau, and Bulle Shah (see Ch. 14-18).

Second, this was a period when India had just become independent: a monumental event. This ushered in a new era of awakening (jagriti) that was against discrimination based on caste or creed; and against cruelty toward, and exploitation of workers (Notes 30, 31).

What this movement needed was a voice (ibid).

And, fortunately, it was Shailendra who provided that voice (ibid)!

22. Javed Akhtar: Shailendra’s Film Songs Were Literature

Javed Akhtar believes that writing simple ideas in songs involving difficult words is relatively easy. But writing songs in simple language is hard (Notes 30, 31).

Asutosh Sharma (2023, Note 18) says, that the famous Urdu poet Allama Iqbal, in one of his poems, has said that “Dil se jo baat nikalti hai asar rakhti hai.” The song “Dil ka haal sune dilwala” (Shree 420) had the hallmark of the real-life experiences of Shailendra from the sorrows and troubles of this world.

Continuing in the same vein, Javed Akhtar cites the following song, written by Shailendra, from the movie Seema (1955, ibid):

Then he makes an incredible statement (Notes 30, 31):

• Such writing is not commercial writing: but writing.
• It is literature!

Then Javed Akhtar asks that because Shailendra was talking to the ordinary public in his lyrics, is that the reason we should look down upon his legacy? (Notes 30, 31)

He further goes on to say that while Sahir wrote poems, Shailendra wrote songs. Both believed that most ordinary people do not read books on philosophy, secularism, socialism, world history, and so on (Notes 30, 31).

However, it is through film music that Sahir and Shailendra were able to impart the right values (sanskar) to Indian society. For example, the following song from the film Anari (1959, Notes 30, 31):

Then Javed Akhtar cites another song of Shailendra from the film Ujala (1959, Notes 28, 29):

Then he cites the song “Dil ka haal sune dilwala” from the film Shree 420 (1955, ibid).

Here is an account of someone who has been living in a city on a footpath:

Javed Akhtar points out that even in a movie that is full of entertainment, Shailendra very quietly managed to slip in lyrics that contained the right values for Indian society (Notes 30, 31).

Then he goes on to say that Shailendra was not just a songwriter, but a public philosopher as well (ibid)!

Javed Akhtar says that people often ask him why we do not have songs like those in the film Pyaasa (1957), with lyrics by Sahir, or Seema (1955), with lyrics by Shailendra, as we have mentioned earlier. (Notes 30, 31).

His answer is that the Hindi movie industry is now going through a rough time. This is because the films today do not have the stories, characters, situations, and even the songs (ibid).

Finally, he says it is quite noteworthy to say that many fans of Shailendra not only remember the mukhras of hissongs—the first stanza—but even their antaras as well (the second stanza; Notes 30, 31).

24.  Shailendra’s Non-film Songs and Poems

In addition to his numerous film songs, Shailendra has written many poems, and folk songs that are quite popular in India. For example, [32] (Pranav Jani, 2023, Note 32)

Shailendra says that if we believe in life, we can achieve success in this world. That we should bring the swarg (heaven) down to this world, and not wait until we go to our next life (ibid).

Continuing, Shailendra states (Note 32):

If you have confidence and belief in yourself, you can even defy death (Note 32)!

25. The Golden Era of Hindi Film Music

It will not be an exaggeration to say that music is in the blood of every Indian.

Indian classical music has a rich tradition that originated in South Asia and can now be found all over the world. Its origins date back to sacred Vedic scriptures more than 6,000 years ago [33] (Note 33).

Raagas, like scales in Western music, help set the mood for a piece of music. Traditionally, each raaga in Indian music was associated with a specific emotion. In modern times, the raagas are still generally linked with a particular time of day or season [34] (Note 34).

The golden era of Hindi film music is considered to be between the mid-1940s and the sixties.  This is the period during which Shailendra wrote all his great lyrics.

As mentioned above, Shailendra’s seemingly simple lines are layered with meaning, purpose, and the deepest thoughts, feelings, and realizations.

26. A Journey Back into the Lyrics of Shailendra

It is amazing how wide a ground Shailendra’ lyrics covered, and how deep his reflections were. His songs can be divided in the following themes:

27.India’s Culture

27a. Proud to be an Indian

Let us take Shailendra’s song from the movie Shree 420 [35] (1955, Note 35):

First, the song asserts pride in being an Indian. Although my outside attire may have foreign origins, yet on the inside, I am still an Indian at heart (Note 35).

Second, in the newly independent nation of India, many considered it a patriotic theme at that time (Note 35). 

Third, the song was also a satirical gibe at some politicians, and members of the upper class of independent India, who boasted of wearing(made in India)clothes on the outside, but ironically, were Western in their thought, outlook, and deeds inside (Note 35).

27b. Indians Treat Their Guests with Honor

Here are two lines from the song and the movie “Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai” (1960):

• Mehmaan jo hamara hota hai
• Wo jaan se pyaara hota hai

28. India’s Heritage of River Ganga

Here are some lyrics about River Ganga from the movie “Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai” (1960):

Hindus consider the River Ganga as the most sacred river in India. They believe that bathing in the river on certain occasions can lead to forgiveness of one’s sins, and help attain salvation. [36] (Note 36).

River Ganga is not only a primary religious symbol of India it is also essential to its economy. It has been called the lifeline of northern India. It is an important source of water, and since early times, it has been the source of irrigation for crops. And now, the river is also a vital source of hydroelectric power [37] (Note 37).

29. Indian Philosophy of Life

This song from the movie Do Bigha Zameen [38] (1953, Note 38) has two messages:

29a. Spread Love All Around You

One message is to spread a life of love:

29b. Purpose of Life Should be Bigger than Yourself

The other message from this song is that the purpose of life should be larger than yourself:

29c. Love Thy Neighbor

Here is a song from the movie Anari [39] (1959, Note 39):

29d. Lead a Life of Integrity and Love of God

The following is a song from the movie Teesri Kasam (1966):

29e. Live a Life of Brotherhood and Love

Here are two lines from the earlier-mentioned song from the movie “Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai” (1960):

• Mil julke raho sub pyaar karo
• Ek cheez yaheen jo rehti hai

29f. Ultimate Truth Lies Inside All of Us

 “Wahan kaun hai tera” (Guide,1965) is a long song. It has two main messages. One is [40] (Note 40):

Rajoria (Note 10) points out that in this song Shailendra is referring to the Bhakti tradition that was championed, among others, by Kabir. Here Shailendra is saying that the ultimate truth lies within all of us, not outside.

The second message is (Note 10):

 While you have been guiding others in their lives, you have lost your own goal in life. This is like a snake-charmer (sapera), who makes others (snakes) dance to his tunes, but ends up dancing himself because he has been be fooled by his own tunes (Note 7).

30. Spreading the Power of Inspiration, Optimism, Self-Reliance, and Hope

In the song “Mera Joota hai Japani” from the movie Shree 420 (1955. Ch. 11) there is another idea that is so uplifting that Gulzar has talked about it [41] (Notes14, 41):

• Hum singhasan par ja baithen jab jab karen iraade

What Shailendra means is that with dogged determination, we can be whatever we want to be.

Now let us look at this unbelievable song from the movie Boot Polish [42] (1954, Note 42) that has captured several uplifting messages:

A large majority of people in India believe in fate or kismet. So, Shailendra’s statement that you can make your fate is extraordinary.

The next lyrics in the same song are:

Finally:

31. Aspiration to a Future of Purpose and Direction

Here is a song from the movie Seema (1955):

a person who wants to achieve something high or great in the future. 

32. India’s History of Peace and Assimilation

Again, let us look at the following lyrics from the movie “Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai” (1960):

• Jo jis se mila seekha humne
• Ghairon ko bhi apnaya humne

Shailendra is reminding us that during its history, India has always welcomed people from foreign lands, has learned from them, and has integrated them into the country at large.

In addition to the above, it is important to emphasize that Hinduism, and Buddhism–that originated in India–are religions of peace. Moreover, India has neither attacked nor colonized another country.

33. The Cruelty of the Social Ban on Widow Remarriage

This gem of a song: “Jub jub phool khile, tujhe yaad kiya humne” is from the movie Shikast (1953). It is the story of a widow whose husband died some time ago. But now she wants to resume her mutual love for the same man she was in love with before she was married to her now-dead husband. Unfortunately for her, the social mores do not permit remarriage of widows [43] (Note 43):

In these simple words, Shailendra presents a vivid and moving picture of how the complete loneliness of a widow can lead to sadness and grief. Now let us look at the next lines:

Because of this forbidden love she is nursing a lot of wounds. But instead of soothing them like an ointment, those memories have turned into a chronic wound.

Finally, let us see what the following lines say:

Weighed down by the heavy chains of the social taboo of widow remarriage, she is unable to share her mental anguish with anyone. But it is Shabnam (dew) that is so moved by her pain, that it causes tears in Shabnam’s eyes.

34. Drawing Attention to Poverty

In Ch. 22, Javed Akhtar cited the song “Dil ka haal sune dilwala” from Raj Kapoor’s movie Shree 420 (1955), and how it is related to hunger. We are reproducing it here because only someone like Shailendra could have penned the lyrics in a manner that moved the hearts of the film-going public:

Only Shailendra could have accomplished such an unbelievable feat!

The song reflected Shailendra’s life experiences from real life. Nevertheless, the song also presents a gut-wrenching account of the “underprivileged and oppressed masses who find themselves on the wrong side of this unequal and unjust world because of the lottery of birth” (Ashutosh Sharma, 2023, Note 18, italics added): 

This song from the film Ujjala (1959) provides another example (Note 4):

The above song “Dil ka haal sune dilwala” also reveals how the rich are repressing the poor (Note 4):

Shailendra has brilliantly captured the magic of music in the following lyrics in a song from the movie Basant Bahar (1956), based on classical…raagas by Shanker-Jaikishan [45] (Note 45):

• “Hain sub se madhur wo Geet
• Jo hum dard ke sur mein gaaten hain”

English poet Shelley also had similar feelings when he said that our sweetest songs are those that talk about our saddest thoughts [46] (Note 46).

37. Conclusion

Shailendra experienced unimaginable hunger, poverty, and discrimination throughout his childhood. He lost his mother and sister at a young age, and this created a void in his early life. When his father fell sick, it forced him to smoke Beedis to suppress hunger. As a child, he was not allowed to play hockey because he was a low-caste Dalit. This was a time when India had just gained its independence. This ushered in a new era of awakening that was against discrimination based on caste or creed; and against cruelty toward and exploitation of workers.

What this movement needed was a voice.

And it was Shailendra who provided that voice!

At that time, Urdu poetry dominated the Hindi cinema. However, it was Shailendra who introduced everyday Hindi (Hindustani) in his songs.

Shailendra was a people’s poet. This is because of his unique talent that enabled him to present his lyrics in a language that ordinary folks could easily understand and relate to, e.g., “Mera Joota hai Japani,” or “Awara hoon.”

Shailendra’s songs about poverty and hunger became very popular because they represented his real-life experiences, and therefore came straight from his heart.

Instead of pursuing higher education after passing the Intermediate degree, he got a job in the Mumbai area: because of financial hardship.

Shailendra would read all the books he could get his hands on in an A.H. Wheeler bookstore in Mathura and that is how he became a well-read man.

But most importantly, he had mastered the Book of Life!

According to poet and lyricist Gulzar, Shailendra was the best lyricist produced by the Hindi film industry.

Javed Akhtar has said that Shailendra’s songs were not just writings, but literature. Then he goes on to say that Shailendra was not merely a songwriter, but a public philosopher as well because he quietly managed to slip in lyrics that contained the right values for the Indian society.

The Bhakti tradition had a profound influence on Shailendra’s legacy.

The human mind finds it very difficult to deal with spiritual matters unless they are

framed in a manner that each individual can relate to and make them an integral part of his or her personal life.

So, the Bhakti movement devised a smart practical idea of a personal god–a human–as a bridge between each individual and the Divine.

In the pantheon of Hindu gods, Lord Rama and Lord Krishna occupy the top spot. But they were not just fictional characters, but rather real men, who–like Jesus Christ—led exemplary and moral lives.

The story of Lord Rama in the Ramayana teaches valuable lessons about upholding dharma (duty), loyalty, integrity, resilience in the face of adversity, respecting relationships, the ultimate triumph of good over evil, highlighting the importance of being a righteous leader, and individual, even when faced with difficult choices; essentially embodying the ideal of “Maryada Purushottam” (the perfect man) through his actions.

Ramayana also portrays Lord Rama as the epitome of an ideal son, husband, and king.

The picture of Lord Rama painted above —a human being blessed with godlike qualities—is so compelling that it stands unapparelled—and alone–in the history of mankind.

As mentioned above, Shailendra experienced incredible hunger, poverty, pain, and discrimination throughout his childhood. Having lost his mother and sister at a young age, created a void in his early life.

Such traumatic experiences would have filled most human beings with bitterness and a sense of resentment.

However, that is not how Shailendra reacted to his painful childhood:

Janaan hai saagar paar

Pragati Saxena, author of the book Andar ki Aag– which includes all the poems of Shailendra– asserts that Shailendra has not been given his due place in the pantheon of Hindi literature.

It seems that the literary elite looked down upon his legacy because, in the words of Javed Akhtar, Shailendra was talking to the ordinary public in his lyrics.

Finally, it is reasonable to conclude that only a saint would have had the personal character to spread Shailendra’s philosophy of love, hope, optimism, brotherhood, peace, empathy for the poor and the disadvantaged, spreading the power of inspiration—that your fate is in your own hands—and living a life that is larger than yourself.

And this is what characterizes Shailendra’s fabulous legacy.

References:

Datta, Y. (2022). How Christianity, Western Science & Technology, Exploited Nature in America, and the Birth of the Environmental Movement. Journal of Economics and Public Finance, Vol. 8(1), 65-102.

Dutt, S. (2018). Shailendra: The people’s poet. https://www.millenniumpost.in/sundaypost/beacon/shailendra-the-peoples-poet-330887

Ghosh, A. (2023). Aug. 30. World still hums Shailendra’s songs of India | Hindi Movie News – Times of India (indiatimes.com).

Jani, P. (2023), June 13. Tu Zinda Hai.

https://pranavjani.medium.com/tu-zindaa-hai-1e73d29f0102

Mahann, D. (2017), Sept. 1. People’s poet. https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/peoples-poet/article19593127.ece

Mondal, A. N. and Sharma, P. (2016). Dec. 14. 15 Songs of Shailendra: The Art of Simply Expressing Complex Thoughts.  https://learningandcreativity.com/silhouette/songs-of-shailendra/

Parsa, V. (2022). Aug. 31. Shailendra; the brightest star of the Hindi Cinema’s Golden Era. (https://www.siasat.com/shailendra-the-brightest-star-of-hindi-cinemas-golden-era-2402677/

Rajoria, V. (2022). On the Poetry of Shailendra: A Folk Poet of Hindusthani Cinema. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/thevinayrajoria_on-the-poetry-of-shailendra-a-folk-poet-activity-6976241784599244800-PhhA

Sengupta, R. (2024). Feb. 13. When the Poet is a Lyricist. https://learningandcreativity.com/silhouette/shailendra-when-the-poet-is-a-lyricist

Sharma, A. (2023). Sept. 11. Shailendra: Lyricist who found divinity in humanity.  https://frontline.thehindu.com/arts-and-culture/cinema/remembering-shailendra-the-legendary-lyricist-who-defined-bollywoods-soul/article67294434.ece

Tharoor, S. (2018). Why I am A Hindu. St. Brunswick, Victoria, Australia: Scribe Publications.

Notes

---

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shailendra_(lyricist)

[2] Dutt, S. (2018). Shailendra: The people’s poet.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/sundaypost/beacon/shailendra-the-peoples-poet-330887

[3] https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/entertainment/shailendra-poet-of-the-masses-not-given-his-due-in-hindi-literature

[4] Sengupta, R. (2024). Feb. 13. When the Poet is a Lyricist.

[5] https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=virasat+shailendra+lyricist

[6] https://www.tumblr.com/shankarjaikishanfansassnintl/627856434335465472/lyricist-shailendra-biography

[7] Parsa, V. (2022). Aug. 31. Shailendra; the brightest star of the Hindi Cinema’s Golden Era. https://www.siasat.com/shailendra-the-brightest-star-of-hindi-cinemas-golden-era-2402677/

[8] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy2ZprxLLEU

[9] https://www.google.com/search?q=Were+Shanker-Jaikishan+the+best+music+composers+of+their+time&sca_esv=4c82d7a7dbc5e1ba&sca_upv=1&source=hp&ei=g5WIZru7A7-LwbkPsP6I0Aw&iflsig=AL9hbdgAAAAAZoijk7bhOx2b2e-bl3C1YbOZkle8oHcV&ved=0ahUKEwj7iPzamZGHAxW_RTABHTA_AsoQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=Were+Shanker-Jaikishan+the+best+music+composers+of+their+time&gs_lp=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&sclient=gws-wiz

[10] Rajoria, V. (202). On the Poetry of Shailendra: A Folk Poet of Hindusthani Cinema. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/thevinayrajoria_on-the-poetry-of-shailendra-a-folk-poet-activity-6976241784599244800-PhhA

[11] https://weareimagine.com/theblog/the-medium-is-still-the-message/

[12] Ghosh, A. (2023), Aug. 30. World still hums Shailendra’s songs of India | Hindi Movie News – Times of India (indiatimes.com)

[13] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/rd-burman-had-to-wait-longer-than-he-expected-to-get-khoya-khoya-chand-lyrics-heres-the-interesting-story/articleshow/95144785.cms?from=mdr

[14] YouTube: “Gulzar talks about Shailendra The Genius,” Sept. 29, 2021.

[15] YouTube: “ABP pays tribute to lyricist Shailendra on his birth anniversary.”

[16] Mondal, A.N. and Sharma, P. (2016). Dec. 14. 15 Songs of Shailendra: The Art of Simply Expressing Complex Thoughts.

[17] Mahaan, D. (2017). Sept. 1. People’s Poet.

https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/peoples-poet/article19593127.ece

[18] Sharma, A.  (2023). Sept. 11. Shailendra: Lyricist who found divinity in humanity.  https://frontline.thehindu.com/arts-and-culture/cinema/remembering-shailendra-the-legendary-lyricist-who-defined-bollywoods-soul/article67294434.ece

[19] https://promodpuri.com/2020/12/19/remembering-poet-shailendra/

[20] Tharoor, S. (2018). Why I Am a Hindu. Victoria, Australia: Scribe Publishers.

Tharoor was Under Secretary of the U.N., author of 15 books, and a Congress MP in India.

[21] Datta, Y. (2022). How Christianity, Western Science & Technology, Exploited Nature in America, and the Birth of the Environmental Movement. Journal of Economics and Public Finance, 8(1), 65-102.

[22] https://www.google.com/search?q=google+what+is+jesus+christ+known+for&sca_esv=762b243e168af4eb&sca_upv=1&ei=DgSpZp-4L8CKwbkPseavgAM&oq=Google%3A+what+is+Jesus+Christ&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiHEdvb2dsZTogd2hhdCBpcyBKZXN1cyBDaHJpc3QqAggAMggQIRigARjDBDIIECEYoAEYwwQyCBAhGKABGMMESPiCAVDZDlibZXABeAGQAQCYAWCgAbAGqgECMTC4AQHIAQD4AQGYAgmgAp8FwgIKEAAYsAMY1gQYR8ICBxAAGIAEGA3CAggQABgFGA0YHsICCBAAGAgYDRgewgIKECEYoAEYwwQYCpgDAIgGAZAGCJIHATmgB6Ax&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

[23] https://www.google.com/search?q=meaning+of+polytheism&sca_esv=e3ff2cacd83f1ace&source=hp&ei=-UOpZvbCLJmEwbkPtcLmaQ&iflsig=AL9hbdgAAAAAZqlSCYlgqhx4025FaUfn82fFMHOka–w&ved=0ahUKEwi2o-XLxM-HAxUZQjABHTWhOQ0Q4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=meaning+of+polytheism&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IhVtZWFuaW5nIG9mIHBvbHl0aGVpc20yChAAGIAEGEYY-QEyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIIEAAYFhgeGA8yCBAAGBYYHhgPSIKBAVC_C1inZ3ABeACQAQCYAXKgAdULqgEEMTkuMrgBA8gBAPgBAZgCFqACogyoAgrCAhAQABgDGOUCGOoCGIwDGI8BwgIQEC4YAxjlAhjqAhiMAxiPAcICCxAAGIAEGLEDGIMBwgIOEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYigXCAg4QLhiABBixAxjRAxjHAcICDhAuGIAEGLEDGIMBGIoFwgILEC4YgAQYsQMYgwHCAggQABiABBixA8ICERAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGIMBGMcBwgIFEC4YgATCAgsQLhiABBixAxjUAsICCBAuGIAEGLEDwgILEC4YgAQYxwEYrwHCAhAQABiABBixAxiDARhGGPkBwgINEAAYgAQYsQMYRhj5AcICBBAAGAOYAwWSBwQyMC4yoAedqgE&sclient=gws-wiz

[24] https://www.google.com/search?q=GOOGLE%3A+According+to+Hinduism+does+God+live+in+each+human+being+or+is+he+lives+up+in+the+sky&sca_esv=18f094ea9bb8ac0e&source=hp&ei=cNmfZqPVNZydwbkPkuOKkAg&iflsig=AL9hbdgAAAAAZp_ngLXqovWILJ8RTw586Q8_p5H41xLt&ved=0ahUKEwijzYrdyb2HAxWcTjABHZKxAoIQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=GOOGLE%3A+According+to+Hinduism+does+God+live+in+each+human+being+or+is+he+lives+up+in+the+sky&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IlxHT09HTEU6IEFjY29yZGluZyB0byBIaW5kdWlzbSBkb2VzIEdvZCBsaXZlIGluIGVhY2ggaHVtYW4gYmVpbmcgb3IgaXMgaGUgbGl2ZXMgdXAgaW4gdGhlIHNreTIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRirAkjNrwdQhglYpqAHcAJ4AJABAJgBcaABlyKqAQQ0OS41uAEDyAEA-AEBmAI3oALvIqgCCsICEBAAGAMY5QIY6gIYjAMYjwHCAhAQLhgDGOUCGOoCGIwDGI8BwgISEC4YAxjlAhjqAhgKGIwDGI8BwgILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwHCAhEQLhiABBixAxjRAxiDARjHAcICCxAuGIAEGLEDGIMBwgIOEC4YgAQYsQMYgwEYigXCAgUQABiABMICCBAAGIAEGLEDwgIOEC4YgAQYsQMY0QMYxwHCAgcQABiABBgKwgILEAAYgAQYhgMYigXCAggQABiABBiiBMICBhAAGBYYHsICCBAAGBYYHhgPwgIHECEYoAEYCsICBBAhGArCAgUQIRifBcICCBAAGKIEGIkFmAMGkgcENDcuOKAH1I8C&sclient=gws-wiz

[25] google.com/search?q=Google%3A+What+lessons+one+can+draw+from+the+personal+life+of+Lord+Rama+

[26] https://www.google.com/search?q=Story+of+Rama%27s+character+representing+the+ideal+son%2C+husband%2C+and+king+&sca_esv=6998cc71aa68975d&source=hp&ei=NvBZZ4WbItn25OUPq4K_kQI&iflsig=AL9hbdgAAAAAZ1n-RuyAufDErLjdh8MQ6-ahf24hJfFf&ved=0ahUKEwiFjvLMwaCKAxVZO7kGHSvBLyIQ4dUDCBE&uact=5&oq=Story+of+Rama%27s+character+representing+the+ideal+son%2C+husband%2C+and+king+&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IkhTdG9yeSBvZiBSYW1hJ3MgY2hhcmFjdGVyIHJlcHJlc2VudGluZyB0aGUgaWRlYWwgc29uLCBodXNiYW5kLCBhbmQga2luZyAyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYqwJI09kFUABYytQFcAB4AJABAJgBkAOgAbsqqgEJMzAuMjMuNC0xuAEDyAEA-AEBmAI2oALZK8ICERAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGIMBGMcBwgILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwHCAgsQLhiABBjRAxjHAcICBRAAGIAEwgIIEAAYgAQYsQPCAg4QLhiABBixAxjRAxjHAcICDhAAGIAEGLEDGIMBGIoFwgIIEC4YgAQYsQPCAhQQLhiABBixAxjRAxiDARjHARiKBcICCxAAGIAEGLEDGMkDwgILEAAYgAQYkgMYigXCAgsQLhiABBixAxiDAcICCxAuGIAEGMcBGK8BwgIREC4YgAQYxwEYmAUYmgUYrwHCAhMQLhiABBixAxjRAxiDARjHARgKwgIOEC4YgAQYsQMYgwEY1ALCAgUQLhiABMICBhAAGBYYHsICCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFwgIIEAAYgAQYogTCAgcQIRigARgKmAMAkgcJMjQuMjkuNC0xoAfeiAM&sclient=gws-wiz

[27] https://www.google.com/search?q=was+Kabir+a+Muslim&sca_esv=c839f9702c677c11&sca_upv=1&source=hp&ei=dDemZozUOKOWwbkP-76n2AM&iflsig=AL9hbdgAAAAAZqZFhDTL0yzBhFEo9h__CW9aY6smJRZ2&ved=0ahUKEwiM3s-d3MmHAxUjSzABHXvfCTsQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=was+Kabir+a+Muslim&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IhJ3YXMgS2FiaXIgYSBNdXNsaW0yEBAuGAMY5QIY6gIYjAMYjwEyEBAAGAMY5QIY6gIYjAMYjwEyEBAAGAMY5QIY6gIYjAMYjwEyEBAAGAMY5QIY6gIYjAMYjwEyEBAAGAMY5QIY6gIYjAMYjwEyEBAuGAMY5QIY6gIYjAMYjwEyEBAAGAMY5QIY6gIYjAMYjwEyEBAAGAMY5QIY6gIYjAMYjwEyEBAAGAMY5QIY6gIYjAMYjwEyEBAAGAMY5QIY6gIYjAMYjwFIuM0BUJ5XWKG7AXABeACQAQCYAQCgAQCqAQC4AQPIAQD4AQGYAgGgAgWoAgqYAwWSBwExoAcA&sclient=gws-wiz

[28] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirabai

[29] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javed_Akhtar

[30] Lyricist Shailendra की याद में Javed Akhtar संग इकट्ठा हुए बॉलीवुड के दिग्गज LIVE | Shailendra (youtube.com)

[31] https://www.google.com/search?q=youtube+Shailendta+and+javed+akhtar+interview&sca_esv=04b81a3a06aed432&sca_upv=1&ei=oriSZtEsuc7BuQ-7kLrADA&ved=0ahUKEwjRhZjOxKSHAxU5ZzABHTuIDsgQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=youtube+Shailendta+and+javed+akhtar+interview&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiLXlvdXR1YmUgU2hhaWxlbmR0YSBhbmQgamF2ZWQgYWtodGFyIGludGVydmlldzIKECEYoAEYwwQYCjIKECEYoAEYwwQYCkiAlQFQ9BFY4oUBcAF4AZABAJgBY6ABxwaqAQE5uAEDyAEA-AEBmAIKoALeBsICChAAGLADGNYEGEfCAggQIRigARjDBJgDAIgGAZAGB5IHAzcuM6AHgSA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

[32]

 Jani, P. (2023), June 13. Tu Zinda Hai.

https://pranavjani.medium.com/tu-zindaa-hai-1e73d29f0102

[33] https://www.google.com/search?q=Google%3A+History+of+Indian+Classical+Music&sca_esv=60a00c61d6a49f75&ei=xsGCZvWmLq6UwbkP6de9iAM&ved=0ahUKEwj1oayKi4aHAxUuSjABHelrDzEQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=Google%3A+History+of+Indian+Classical+Music&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiKUdvb2dsZTogSGlzdG9yeSBvZiBJbmRpYW4gQ2xhc3NpY2FsIE11c2ljMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYqwJI5FpQkBBY-jhwAXgBkAEAmAFhoAHjBaoBATm4AQPIAQD4AQGYAgmgAscFwgIKEAAYsAMY1gQYR8ICDRAAGIAEGLADGEMYigXCAgcQABiABBgNwgILEAAYgAQYhgMYigXCAggQABiABBiiBMICCBAAGKIEGIkFmAMAiAYBkAYKkgcDOC4xoAe4Kw&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

[34] https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+raga+in+indian+music+and+its+relationship+tp+times+of+day&sca_esv=999851109142aa1d&sca_upv=1&ei=RrCGZs7pKpOEwbkPnO2Z6Ak&ved=0ahUKEwjOpIv6yo2HAxUTQjABHZx2Bp0Q4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=what+is+raga+in+indian+music+and+its+relationship+tp+times+of+day&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiQXdoYXQgaXMgcmFnYSBpbiBpbmRpYW4gbXVzaWMgYW5kIGl0cyByZWxhdGlvbnNoaXAgdHAgdGltZXMgb2YgZGF5MgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKsCMgUQIRirAkj1-AFQkgtYjdMBcAF4AZABAJgBaqAB3AyqAQQxNy4xuAEDyAEA-AEBmAIToAKeDcICChAAGLADGNYEGEfCAg0QABiABBiwAxhDGIoFwgIGEAAYFhgewgILEAAYgAQYhgMYigXCAggQABiABBiiBMICBRAhGJ8FwgIIEAAYogQYiQWYAwCIBgGQBgqSBwQxNi4zoAf-cg&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

[35] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mera_Joota_Hai_Japani

[36] https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+the+significance+of+the+ganges+river+in+india&sca_esv=e7c61076d940b7cd&biw=1067&bih=513&ei=4ceTZvvXE9yawbkPj5G_sAk&oq=What+is+the+significance+of+ganga+in+india&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiKldoYXQgaXMgdGhlIHNpZ25pZmljYW5jZSBvZiBnYW5nYSBpbiBpbmRpYSoCCAAyBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgsQABiABBiGAxiKBTILEAAYgAQYhgMYigUyCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFMgsQABiABBiGAxiKBTILEAAYgAQYhgMYigUyCBAAGIAEGKIEMggQABiABBiiBDIIEAAYgAQYogRI6l9QAFjpHXAAeAGQAQCYAVSgAYsDqgEBNbgBAcgBAPgBAZgCBaACnQPCAggQIRigARjDBMICBRAhGKsCmAMAkgcBNaAH-Bg&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

[37] https://www.google.com/search?q=Google%3A+Economic+significance+of+River+Ganga&sca_esv=0df5b6d8e6b2231d&sca_upv=1&source=hp&ei=-B2XZvmGNpON7NYPna2UsAk&iflsig=AL9hbdgAAAAAZpcsCGN92K3ImiwYlGxXmSdwYBAOMegb&ved=0ahUKEwj54tvo9ayHAxWTBtsEHZ0WBZYQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=Google%3A+Economic+significance+of+River+Ganga&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IixHb29nbGU6IEVjb25vbWljIHNpZ25pZmljYW5jZSBvZiBSaXZlciBHYW5nYTIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABSJe_AlAAWJWpAnABeACQAQCYAXCgAdAaqgEEMzkuNbgBA8gBAPgBAZgCLKAC9BrCAgsQABiABBixAxiDAcICERAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGIMBGMcBwgIIEAAYgAQYsQPCAgUQABiABMICDhAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGMcBwgIIEC4YgAQY5QTCAgoQABiABBixAxgKwgILEAAYgAQYhgMYigXCAggQABiABBiiBMICBhAAGBYYHsICCBAAGBYYHhgPwgIFECEYqwKYAwCSBwQzOS41oAfy0AE&sclient=gws-wiz

[38] https://gaana.com/lyrics/dharti-kahe-pukar

[39] https://www.filmyquotes.com/songs/3859

[40] https://www.bollymeaning.com/2011/12/wahan-kaun-hai-tera-lyrics-translation.html

[41] https://gaana.com/lyrics/mera-joota-hai-japani-1

[42] https://gaana.com/lyrics/nanhe-munne-bachche-teri-mutthi-mein.

[43] https://gaana.com/lyrics/jab-jab-phool-khile-1

[44] https://www.hindwi.org/kavita/har-zor-zulm-ki-takkar-mein-shankar-shailendra-kavita-8

[45] https://www.google.com/search?q=WAs+music+of+Movie+Basant+Bahar+based+on+classical+ragas&sca_esv=999851109142aa1d&sca_upv=1&ei=RrCGZs7pKpOEwbkPnO2Z6Ak&ved=0ahUKEwjOpIv6yo2HAxUTQjABHZx2Bp0Q4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=WAs+music+of+Movie+Basant+Bahar+based+on+classical+ragas&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiOFdBcyBtdXNpYyBvZiBNb3ZpZSBCYXNhbnQgQmFoYXIgYmFzZWQgb24gY2xhc3NpY2FsIHJhZ2FzMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABSJ7nA1CHDli31QNwAngBkAEBmAF1oAHPLaoBBDYwLjm4AQPIAQD4AQGYAi-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_CAgUQIRirApgDBYgGAZAGCroGBAgBGAe6BgYIAhABGAq6BgYIAxABGBSSBwUzNy4xMKAHpbUD&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

[46] https://www.google.com/search?q=poet+shelley%27s+thoughts+on+sad+thoughts+and+feelings&sca_esv=560dbe01d21b77ad&sca_upv=1&source=hp&ei=UvCXZsevAZnT1sQP1uWx4Ao&iflsig=AL9hbdgAAAAAZpf-Ynt4KFrAzZ37QmQuOASkoGYoJNoq&oq=poet+shelley%27s+thoughts+on+sad+thoughts&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6Iidwb2V0IHNoZWxsZXkncyB0aG91Z2h0cyBvbiBzYWQgdGhvdWdodHMqAggAMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYqwJI0YwCUABYoe8BcAF4AJABAJgBbqABmxmqAQQzOC4xuAEByAEA-AEBmAIooAKBGsICDhAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGMcBwgIFEAAYgATCAggQABiABBixA8ICCxAAGIAEGLEDGIMBwgIOEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYigXCAhEQLhiABBixAxjRAxiDARjHAcICCxAuGIAEGNEDGMcBwgIIEC4YgAQYsQPCAgsQLhiABBjHARivAcICERAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGNQCGMcBwgIFEC4YgATCAgoQLhiABBixAxgKwgIOEC4YgAQY0QMY1AIYxwHCAg4QLhiABBixAxiDARiKBcICBBAAGAPCAgcQLhiABBgKwgILEAAYgAQYhgMYigXCAgYQABgWGB7CAgcQLhiABBgNwgIHEAAYgAQYDcICCBAAGIAEGKIEwgIFECEYnwWYAwCSBwQzOC4yoAf_iwI&sclient=gws-wiz